Fabregas, who left Arsenal in August 2011, believes the 62-year-old is able to enhance the confidence of the younger personnel in Arsenal's squad and maintains he still monitors the progress of his former club.

"Arsene Wenger is amazing and I’m sure he will prove it again this season. He always finds the best young talent in Europe and has the courage to bring them in and give them their chance," Fabregas told The Sun. "That is his special talent, the way he works with a player to build their confidence and encourage them to play, to perform at their best. That’s why I’m confident that Arsenal will again be up there challenging. I watch them every weekend because Arsenal still mean so much to me."

Fabregas has voiced his discontent over a lack of playing time under Tito Vilanova this season, but the 25-year-old insists he understands the level of competition at Barcelona.

"It was a privilege for me to spend eight years at such a magnificent club," Fabregas said. "But now is a new chapter at Barcelona and I said when I signed here that it was going to be the most exciting and difficult challenge of my life."

"I knew I was coming to compete for a place against the best players in the world but I like big challenges. If I didn’t I would have stayed at Arsenal where I was the captain, where I played every game and where I was treated so well. I have a big heart, a strong character and I have the courage to carry on competing for my place." Follow GOAL.COM USA on